With recent advances in digital transmission technology, subscriber television systems are now capable of providing much more than traditional analog broadcast video. In implementing enhanced programming, the home communication terminal device (“HCT”), otherwise known as the set-top box, has become an important computing device for accessing media content services (and media content within those services) and navigating a user through a maze of available services. In addition to supporting traditional analog broadcast video functionality, digital HCTs (or “DHCTs”) now also support an increasing number of two-way digital services such as video-on-demand (VOD).
Typically, a DHCT is connected to a cable or satellite, or generally, a subscriber television system, and includes hardware and software necessary to provide the functionality of the digital television system at the user's site. Some of the software executed by a DHCT can be downloaded and/or updated via the subscriber television system. Each DHCT also typically includes a processor, communication components, and memory, and is connected to a television or other display device, such as a personal computer. While many conventional DHCTs are stand-alone devices that are externally connected to a television, a DHCT and/or its functionality may be integrated into a television or personal computer or even an audio device such as a programmable radio, as will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art.
Two-way digital services, such as VOD, often require the establishment of network resources (i.e., the allocation of hardware and/or software components and setting of the component parameters) to enable the delivery of media content (e.g., VOD movies) to a requesting DHCT subscriber, and the “tearing down” of these resources (i.e., the release of the components to enable further resource establishment) when, for example, the media content presentation has ended. The establishment of network resources for the delivery of media content defines the beginning of a session. Session setup and release are typically costly and/or time consuming insofar as they can require frequent communication between various subscriber television system hardware and/or software components.
Thus, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the industry to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.